At B Street, it’s The King vs. Queens

3 Min Read

Next week will mark the 19th anniversary of the closing of Finocchio’s, the fabled San Francisco female impersonators club. One thing it helped to do was spread the acceptance of what we call drag queens — men who dress up, makeup and act up as women for our entertainment. Visitors from all over came to Finocchio’s to gawk and gasp and laugh and ask,”What’s wrong with that?” Dude looks like a lady. So?

“The Legend of Georgia McBride,” now at the B Street Theatre through Dec. 9, is a humorous — and totally open and accepting — look at these special entertainers. It also looks at another type of impersonator: the would-be Elvis Presley performer. It starts as a clash between The King and a small troupe of drag artists for performance rights in a small Florida bar. Elvis loses, but that’s all right, mama. There’s a solution — difficult for him at first — but ultimately rewarding in ways no one would imagine.

Jon Kovach, good-looking and good-natured, stars as Casey, an Elvis impersonator slowly but surely crafting an Elvis act he can be proud of. If only there were more than seven people in the audience most nights. Enter Cameron Folmar and Kevin Kantor as Miss Tracy Mills and Miss Anorexia Nervosa (Rexy), respectively. They can draw larger crowds despite Eddie’s Panama City bar not being a gay club (showing the increased acceptance of gay entertainers). It helps that Miss Tracy is related to club owner Eddie (Dave Pierini), too.

In quick succession, Casey loses his entertainment role and is demoted to barkeep, Miss Rexy is debilitated by alcohol and has to be replaced in the show and Casey reluctantly steps into her shoes — or tries to. His first drag performance is as a French singer he’s never heard of (whom he calls “Edith Pee-off”), pantomiming to a French recording. He soon learns that his wife Jo (Danielle Mone Truitt) is pregnant and he unwisely decides to keep his new employment a secret.

His thinking in this as like that of many who question the masculinity of a man who performs in drag. But Kovach is powerfully convincing as an unquestioning straight country boy coming around to the realization that an entertainer has to entertain, that a dress is just a dress, and “a man’s a man for a that,” as Robert Burns would say.

Jerry Montoya directs Ron Dumonchelle’s lighting design effectively highlights musical performances and entrances and exits, and Samantha Reno’s set design is simple but highly effective as it transforms from backstage to center-stage to home.

Event Details

Turn back in time for a day of historic knowledge and interactive fun.
The activities and demonstrations on Demonstration Days can vary by the day, but may include cooperage, candle dipping,

Event Details

Turn back in time for a day of historic knowledge and interactive fun.

The activities and demonstrations on Demonstration Days can vary by the day, but may include cooperage, candle dipping, blacksmithing, tours, black powder, cooking, baking, weaving, scavenger hunts, and more.

Admission is $7 per adult (18 and older), $5 per youth (ages 6 to 17) and is free for children 5 and under. Ticket can be purchased at the door.

Event Details

Iliza is one of today’s leading comedians with a fan base who show their loyalty by creating their

more

Event Details

Iliza is one of today’s leading comedians with a fan base who show their loyalty by creating their own Iliza inspired swag to wear to her shows. Last year she hosted her late night limited run talk show “Truth & Iliza,” on Freeform. In November 2017, she released her first book Girl Logic: The Genius and the Absurdity (Hachette Book Group) a subversively funny collection of essays and observations on a confident woman’s approach to friendship, singlehood, and relationships.

Originally from Dallas, Iliza moved to Los Angeles after graduating from Emerson College. She is the only female and youngest comedian to hold the title of NBC’s Last Comic Standing. Her debut comedy special, War Paint, was acquired by Netflix and was named one of its Top 10 Albums of 2013. Iliza’s follow-up Netflix specials, Freezing Hot and Confirmed Kills, sealed her title as one of the hottest touring acts in America, with Esquire Magazine listing her as one of the top working comedians today.

About the author

Jim Carnes

Jim Carnes has masters degrees in English and journalism and is a former National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow in popular culture at Stanford University. He has covered Sacramento arts and entertainment for more than 20 years. He currently writes about and reviews theater, dance, music and events in the Sacramento area.

Support Local

Photo of the Week

Topics

Topics

Sacramento Press is an online newspaper covering local news and stories that keep you connected to what's happening in the city. Our aim is to spur interest in the local businesses, events, and people that make the community of Sacramento unique.